Drill-cable clamp.



R. F. CLAYTON.

DRILL CABLE CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1, 1912.

Patented May 6, 1913.

Swuwwboz 2 C layfazc ROBERT FENTRESS CLAYTON, 0F WIMIBERLY, TEXAS.

DRILL-CABLE CLAMP,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 6, 1913.

Application filed June 1, 1912. Serial No. 701,036.

To allcohom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT Fnn'rnnss CLAYTON,a citizen of the United States, residing at lVimberly, in the county ofHays and State of Texas, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Drill- Oable Clamps, of which the following is aspecification. I

My invention relates to devices for clamping the rope on which the drillis secured in well drilling and has for its object the provision of aclamp that is easily and expeditiously secured to or removed from thedrill rope and that is so constructed that the rope may be turnedmanually and while the drill is in operation.

My invention will be described in detail hereinafter and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a top plan view, partly broken away, of my improved drillrope and clamp; Fig. 2, a cross section of a clamp; and Fig. 3, a detailshowing the means for preventing the clamp screws from rotating.

In the drawings similar reference characters will be used to designatecorresponding parts through the several views.

In well drilling it is necessaryto have some means for securing the jerkrope to the drilling machine to the rope carrying the drill and at thesame time, it is also de sirable to have means connected with the clampby which the drill rope may be turned or rotated while in operation, andmy improved invention is designed for this purpose.

In the drawings, A indicates a drill rope to which a drill (not shown)is attached.

My improved clamp consists of two semicircular pieces indicated at 1 and2 having their meeting ends formed with inclined surfaces as shown at 3and slotted as shown at 4. One end of each section of the ring formed bythe two portions 1 and 2 is provided with a cross pin 5 that is mountedin the slot 4, while the other end of the section is provided with apivoted hook 6 by means of a cross pin 7, said hook being adapted toengage the pin 5 on the end of the adjacent section of the ring.

Secured to each section of the ring is a frame consisting of bars 8, 9,10 and 11 secured to said sections of the ring by means of brace bars12, and 13 and 14 indicate cross bars connecting the outer ends of thebars 8 and 9, 10 and 11 respectively, the

opposite terminals of said bars 8. 9, 10 and 11 being formed withlaterally extending projections 8, 9, 10, and 11 respectively formingshoulders that engage one another when the ring is in an assembledposition as shown in Fig. 1 to form a complete rectangular frame asshown. The cross bars 13 and 14 are each provided with an opening 13 and14 respectively, in which is slidably mounted-a screw shaft or bolt 15and 16, said shafts or bolts being formed with a longitudinal groove orgain 17 in which a key 18 secured in the openings 13 and 14 slide, saidkeys being prevented from longitudinal movement relatively to the crossbars 13 and 14 by means of lugs or projections 18 engaging the sides ofsaid cross bars. Secured to the adjacent ends of the shafts 15 and 16are clamping members 19 that are adapted to clamp the rope A as shown inthe drawings, said clamping members being provided with segmentalclamping faces to securely engage the surface of the rope.

20 indicates wheels rotatably mounted on the shafts 15 and 16, saidwheels having threaded apertures to engage the threads on said shafts tomove the clamping members 19 relatively to the cross bars 13 and 14.

21 indicates a washer having a cut-out portion 22 that is seated on theshafts 15 and 16 adjacent to the cross bars 13 and 14, the cut-outportion 22 being adapted to seat on the projections 18 of the U-shapedkey 18.

23 indicate hooks on the upper ends of the clamping members 19 on whichthe erk rope (not shown) from the drilling machine is adapted to besecured.

In operation, it will be apparent that the clamp is placed upon the ropeA when the two members mounted on the portions of the ring, indicated 1and 2, are dismembered, and after being mounted on the rope, the twoportions 1 and 2 are secured together, as shown in Fig. 1. The clampingmembers 19 are then moved into engagement with the rope A by sliding theshafts 15 and 16 in the openings 13 and 14 in the cross bars 13 and 14and the clamping members held in clamping engagement with the rope byturning the wheels 20 on the threads against the washers 21. The jerkrope may then be secured to the hooks 23 and the drill be ready foroperation. During the operation of drilling, the drill may be rotatedwithin Copies of this patent may be obtained for the boring as desiredby turning the outer ring formed in sections 1 and 2. As the boringproceeds, it will be understood that the clamp may be released from therope at times and raised to permit the drill to; descend into" theboring.v Having thus described my invention what I claim is 1. In adrill rope clamp, a ring formed in two sections, a frame mounted oneach;

section and having interengaging portions:

to engage corresponding parts of the frame on the other section and forman inclosedi frame, and clamping members mounted on; each frame.

2. A drill rope clamp comprising a ring? formed in two sections,releasable engaging members to hold said ring sections together,

threaded opening mounted on each shaft and adapted to hold said clampingmembers in a clamping position.

3. A. drill rope clamp comprising a ring formed in two sections,releasable engaging members to hold said ring sections together, barssecured to each section and having offset shoulders on one of theirends, said offset shoulders adapted to engage the offset shoulders onthe bars von the corresponding section, a cross bar connecting the barson each ring sectlon, a screw shaft slidably mounted in each cross barand having a clamping member thereon, said screw shafts being each 12 1'formed with a longitudinal groove, .a key secured to each cross barslidablv engaging said groove, and a wheel having a threaded openingmounted on each shaft and adapted to hold said clamping members in aclamp- 17.;

ing position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT FENTRESS CLAYTON.

Witnesses ED. J. LEATH, MINNIE M. LEATHQ Washington, D. 0.

five cents each, by addressing'the Commissioner of Patents, i

